Terps 2009 Football Preview: Game 5

These girls are ugly enough and then they put on purple and orange. How about the clown in the back trying to get in on the photo opportunity, I hate Clemson.



10/03/09 Terps vs Clemson (ACC, 4-4, Overall, 7-6)
2008: Terps Won 20-17

Review and Preview: Clemson had an extremely disappointing season last year, starting out the season ranked #9 in the pre-season polls (goes to show how much those mean) and ended up in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl against Nebraska. Their QB led the ACC in passing (200 yards per game) and CJ Spiller led the ACC in All-Purpose Yards. They had a close game with the Terps in College Park, getting shutout in the second half by the Terps and losing 20-17.

Both teams seem to play extremely well as the away team in this match up. The Terps have looked very good in Death Valley and Clemson has shown their ability to play well at Byrd Stadium. This worries me since we happen to be the home team in this one. It could come down to the running game on both sides. James Davis and CJ Spiller versus Da’Rel and Meggett. Which run game can have a game breaker? Which running game won’t turn the ball over?

The Pick: Clemson had the 36th ranked run defense in 2008 and the Terps were 71st. Not f*cking good for the Terps. I think CJ has a big day with too much speed for the Terps defense. Along with a Terps loss I also predict my drunken blackout to occur during the post game show. Terps lose 24-17. (ACC, 0-1, Overall, 4-1).

Terps 2009 Football Preview: Game 4

This chick wants to be a Maryland fan, she just doesn't know it yet.

9/26/09 Terps vs Rutgers
2008: Did Not Play, Terps won 34-24 in 07’

Review and Preview: Who can forget Chris Turner’s coming out party in 2007 in Piscataway, New Jersey against the 10th ranked team in the land, Rutgers? In case you did let me recap. After Jordan Steffy struggled in the 1st half Big Ralph made the best move of his coaching career and put Chris Turner in for the second half. All he did was go 14-20 and threw for 149 yards to lead the Terps to 20 points in the second half. That’s right, the goofy Napoleon Dynamite look a like sent #10 Rutgers, 40,000 dirty Jersey fans, Ray Rice and his mom home crying.

Rutgers is losing their QB and two top wide receivers, but they return all of their offensive line and they are pretty damn good. I did a lot of research and found most people have Rutgers picked to win the Big East (which isn’t saying a helluva a lot), and college football genius Phil Steele has them ranked #16 in the country. However, what happens when Rutgers gets near the top of the mountain? They get their asses thrown back down to the bottom. Ranked #10 twice in two years, they lost to Cincy and the Terps.

The Pick: Lets be honest here, we aren’t talking about basketball where it was a legit argument the Big East was better than the ACC. We are talking about football and the Big East is weak and overrated. The game is at Maryland, where unless we are playing Florida State, we are going to win. Close game though, Terps win 28-24. Terps (ACC, 0-0, Overall, 4-0)

Terps Football 2009: Game 3

9/19/09 Terps vs Middle Tennessee State 3:30pm.
2008: Beat Terps 24-14

Review and Preview: How the hell did we lose to the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee last year 24-14? Chris Turner had 3 interceptions and was sacked 3 times by “The Swarming and Punishing” Blue Raider defense. Although Darrius Heyward-Bey had an 80 yard touchdown reception, he only had 2 other receptions for a total of 10 yards. Middle Tennessee must have had a helluva scout team doing research for their defense that week. Enough of the terrible loss and on to the preview.

The Blue Raiders have a Sophomore QB named Dwight Dasher, who is going to try and cause some havoc for the Terps defense by running the ball (he had one start as a running back in 2007). Obviously this guy thinks he is the Michael Vick of the Sunbelt Conference, so the Terps are going to have to prepare their defense for this clown.

Look for the Terps wide receiving core (Averaging 6-0, 192) to have a significant size and strength advantage over the Blue Raider corner backs (Averaging 5-9, 175). I expect Chris Turner to torch this Blue Raider defense and avenge last year’s loss. The 22,605 fans in attendance at last years game at Middle Tennessee was their sixth largest all-time. Expect a Byrd Stadium at almost maximum capacity (51,000+) since the loyal Terps fans will not forget last years loss. Click Clack Bitches!

The Pick: Terps win 28-6. Terps (ACC, 0-0, Overall, 3-0)

Terps Football 2009: Game 2

9/12/09 Terps vs James Madison 6:00pm
2008: Did Not Play in 08’

Preview: As if one game against doOKies isn’t enough, Maryland went ahead and scheduled the doOKies of James Madison (who actually might have a better football team than Duke). The last time these two teams met was in 1998 when the Terps beat JMU 23-15 in College Park. “The Big Guy” was still a young Terp in the making.

JMU has two QB’s, one is a Red Shirt Junior who has never started a collegiate game, and the other is a rookie freshman. JMU has ten O-Line players listed on their 2009 roster, their average weight is 276 pounds. The Terps have 18 players O-Line players listed on their 2009 roster, their average weight is 304 pounds. The Terps can either run the ball the entire game and JMU will not be able to do a damn thing about it, or Chris Turner will have over/under 20 seconds to pass the ball. My guess is the Terps will mostly run the ball, but look out for three bombs down the field for the pure entertainment of the paying fans. All Terps starters will be out of the game by halftime.

The Pick: Obvious pick. Terps destroy and have little mercy for JMU even in the second half with the “B” squad getting mop up time. JMU is one of the best teams in Division I-AA or some shit, but they are going to get a beat down in this one. Terps win 30-3. Terps (ACC, 0-0, Overall, 2-0)

Terps 2009 Football Preview: Game 1

9/5/09 Terps at California 10:00pm on ESPN2

2008: Terps won 35-27

Review and Preview: I went to this game last year in College Park which had a 12pm kick-off, which meant tailgating in the parking lots outside Comcast Center (Home of Maryland Basketball, and study hall for “The Big Guy” back in the day) started at 6am, and you bet your ass I rolled into that parking lot at 6am on the dot.

Cal QB threw for 423 yards and three touchdowns against the Terps in that game, and you can bet your ass he hasn’t forgotten about the loss. Last year the Terps running game netted 141 yards rushing, this included three touchdowns.

I think the Terps QB situation is going to be set pretty much for the whole season, but at least for the first game. Chris Turner is really becoming a pretty good QB and if Da’Rel Scott can stay healthy, the running game is going to be strong once again behind a monster offensive line. Look for the Terps to have a more balanced offense in this game, since they won’t be up 21-6 at halftime this year. The 1st half of the game is key for the Terps. They tend to come out flat on the road and never recover. They need to get pumped for the first game of the season on National TV and “Do Work” on the Golden Bears.

The Pick: Terps win 24-21. 2009 Terps (ACC, 0-0, Overall, 1-0)